A Proposal to Remember
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: 16 year old Vada takes care of her 2 year old brother while their parents are on a 7-day cruise and Cousin Nick stops by for a few days with an interesting proposal.
1. Harry & Shelly leave

Harry Sultenfuss walked down the stairs of his Pennsylvania home. his daughter Vada was right behind him.

"Are you sure you will be okay with your brother?" He asked. Vada shook her head and laughed.

"Dad, I'm sixteen years old. I'm old enough to be his mother. I can take care of him while you and Shelly are on your cruise." Vada replied. He stopped and turned around to face her.

"You better not be old enough to be his mother Vada." Harry scolded her.

"Oh Harry." Shelly said from the bottom of the stairs. She was carrying Matthew in her arms. "Vada will be fine to take care of Matt while we are gone. It's just for a few days, why do you have to worry so much?" Shelly kissed him. "Here Vada." Shelly handed him to her when Vada got off the last step and smiled.

"Hold his head." Harry said.

"Dad, I've been his big sister for two years. I know all this." Vada responded.

"Where are the emergency phone numbers?" He quizzed.

"Over by the phone where they always are. Along with the number for the ship and Uncle Phil and Aunt Rose's phone number in case of an emergency; which I really don't think you will have to worry about dad." Vada replied.

"I will be the judge of that Vada. Now, what about a fire?" He asked. Vada sighed.

"I grab Matty and we go to the neighbor's house and call 911. Please go now." Vada said.

"Oh alright." Harry gave up.

"By Matt." Shelly kissed his forehead. Then she rubbed his face with her hand. "I'm going to miss you so much, I haven't really gone anywhere without you since the day you were born." Vada looked up at her stepmom.

"I'll take good care of him Shelly. I promise." Vada smiled. Shelly looked at her.

"I know you will. Bye Vada." Shelly kissed her cheek.

"Bye Shelly. Bye dad. Enjoy your cruise!" Vada said. Harry walked out the door without looking back. Shelly closed the door behind her, rolling her eyes which made Vada laugh. Vada looked down at her brother.

"It's just you and me kid. For an entire week. What should we do?" Vada asked. She paused for a moment, as if waiting for him to answer. He gurgled, but it wasn't in response to his sister. "I like that idea too." Vada said with a smile. They walked into the kitchen.

This was going to be a very easy, non-eventful week for this brother and sister..


	2. Taking care of Matthew alone

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written a chapter!**

Vada woke up the next morning to Matthew crying in the other room. She stumbled out of bed and walked into the nursery.

"Matthew? Why do you have to get up so early?" Vada thought to herself as she looked at her brother. Then she looked at the clock next to his crib. It was just a little after five. "You have to be kidding me. On my summer vacation?" Vada grabbed Matthew out of the crib and then walked down the stairs to the kitchen. She put him in his high chair. "Are you hungry Matty?" He continued to wail. Vada sighed. "What's the matter with you? Do you need your diaper changed?" Vada picked him up and felt his pants. She was right. Poor Matthew had soaked his pants overnight. Vada put him on his blanket that lay in the middle of the floor while she went to go get the diaper bag off the kitchen counter. Vada sat down in front of him and changed his diaper. She took the soggy diaper off of him. "There you go. Don't you feel better now?" Vada tickled his stomach and he laughed. She stood him up and went to throw the diaper in the trash. She walked back over to him and sat down in front of him. Matthew toddled over to her and hugged her and then sat in her lap. Vada kissed the top of his head. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Yes." Matthew replied smiling. Vada stood up and picked him up and walked over to the table. She put him back in his high chair. When she put a bowl of cereal in front of him, he threw the cereal all over the room and put the bowl on his head.

"Matthew! What are you doing?" Vada asked and Matthew just laughed. Vada looked at him. She smacked his hand. "You do not throw cereal. You eat it." Matthew started crying and sobbing.

"What have I gotten myself into? How does Shelly live with this every day?" Vada asked herself. "I can't call dad, so I have to suck it up and deal with it. I mean it's only for the week right?"


	3. Nick Visits

The next day there was a knock at the door. Vada walked down the stairs and opened the door. There stood a handsome young man with blonde hair and bright eyes. Vada smiled when she saw him there.

"Nick! How are you? What are you doing here?" Vada asked. Nick smiled and leaned against the door.

"I heard that your mom and dad took a cruise and I figured you could use some help with your brother." Nick replied.

"Thanks Nick. I appreciate it that you'd come all this way just to help me out. How'd you get here anyway?" Vada asked. Nick looked at her.

"I got a job the last few years and saved up so I would be able to come and see you." Nick replied. Vada hugged him.

"That was so sweet of you. I am so glad you came!" Vada exclaimed. Nick smiled.

"Well, I had something I wanted to talk to you about and I knew that I couldn't put it in a letter. It was something I wanted to do face to face." Nick said.

"Do you want to talk about it now?" Vada asked. Nick nodded no.

"No, we can do it later on. I would like to take you out for dinner." Nick replied. Vada looked at him with a funny look on her face.

"What are you talking about?" Vada asked him.

"I would like to talk to you about this matter over a nice dinner. I have the money if that's what you're worried about." Nick responded. Vada crossed her arms and stood in front of Nick.

"Did Uncle Phil put you up to this?" Vada asked. Nick laughed.

"No, Phil didn't put me up to this. I don't think he even knows I'm here." Nick stated. Vada's jaw dropped.

"You ran away from home and came here?" Vada questioned.

"No, my mom knows I'm here. If she told Phil she did and if she didn't she just didn't. Mom was glad that I decided to come help you. She said that you were a good kid and that she was glad to have you for a niece." Nick said.

"Are they married yet?" Vada asked. Nick sighed.

"Nope. They are still planning on it, but they aren't any more married than they were when you came to visit two years ago." Nick said. Vada laughed.

"I don't know about my uncle sometimes. Dad and I love him, but he can be a little-" Vada paused while trying to think of a nice word to call her uncle.

"Impulsive? Undependable?" Nick tried.

"Whimsical was more of the word I was thinking of." Vada said with a smile.

"Same thing." Nick responded. "Well, let's go find that brother of yours." Nick smiled and walked in the door. "It is okay that I come inside isn't it?" Vada looked at the floor.

"Oh yes it is. Come on in. Matthew is upstairs." Vada said. The phone rang as Vada put her foot on the first step so she walked over to the phone and answered it. "Hello?"

"Um yes, Vada? Is Nick there yet?" A voice asked. Vada looked at Nick.

"Yes Aunt Rose. Nick's here. He just got here." Vada replied.

"Good, can I talk to him for a moment please?" Rose asked. Vada took the phone away from her ear.

"She wants to talk to you." Nick rolled his eyes and walked over and took the phone from Vada.

"Yes?" Nick paused. He sighed. "I know Ma. I won't get into any trouble. It's Pennsylvania, not Los Angeles." Nick paused again. "Good bye mom." He hung up the phone. "Come on, let's go see that brother of yours." Nick smiled and the two of them walked upstairs.


	4. The Dinner Question

Nick and Vada sat in a restaurant that night. Vada looked a little nervous.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked. Vada glanced up at him.

"I… I've just never left Matthew with a baby sitter before." Vada said. Nick looked at her and put his hand on her arm.

"Vada, he's not your son. He's your brother. Haven't your parents had sitters before?" Nick asked. Vada nodded no.

"Shelly said she doesn't want anybody raising her children besides her and dad." Vada replied. Nick sighed.

"One night should be okay. He won't constantly be with a baby sitter. Now do you really have to worry about that now?" Nick asked. "I have something important I want to talk to you about." Vada put her menu down on the table and looked at Nick.

"Please do tell. What is the big deal?" Vada asked. Nick looked down at the table and his feet.

"Not now." Nick mumbled to himself. Vada looked at him.

"Neither of us are going to be able to enjoy ourselves until you get this out in the open, so what's up?" Vada questioned. Nick glanced up at her. Looking at her beautiful blonde hair and green eyes he smiled. He pulled a small box out of his pocket and held it in front of her. He opened it and Vada saw a small ring laying there. She covered her mouth with her hands and her eyes misted over with tears.

"Nick, are you asking me to marry you? I can't, we're family." Vada replied. Nick sighed.

"Two things Vada. One, we aren't family yet. My mom and your Uncle Phil are yet to get married. Two, this isn't an engagement ring." Nick stated. Vada looked down at the ring.

"If it's not an engagement ring, what is it?" Vada wondered.

"It's a promise ring. We are too young to get engaged. This ring promises that you and I will get engaged to be married when we are old enough to get married." Nick explained. Vada nodded. Nick leaned over and kissed her. Afterward, he leaned back and looked at her. "Was that okay?"

"Yeah, I think it was fine." Vada replied and then leaned in and kissed Nick herself. When she leaned back, Nick smiled.

"Is that a yes? Are you promising that we will get engaged when we get older?" Nick asked. Vada looked right into his eyes with a huge smile.

"Yes." Vada replied.

"So…" Nick paused. "Do you wanna wear the ring?"

"Sure." Vada put her hand out and Nick slipped the ring on her finger.

"I love you Vada Sultenfuss. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you." Nick stated.

"I love you too Nick. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." They kissed. "People say we are too young to know what love is, but I think we are just old enough. I'm so glad you came to Pennsylvania."

"Me too." Nick replied.


	5. Planning Stage 1

Vada woke up the next morning and went into the bathroom to pick up her toothbrush. When she lifted her hand she saw the silver ring on the third finger of her left hand and she smiled. It wasn't a dream. She truly was going to marry Nick. She brushed her teeth and walked into Matthew's bedroom. Vada picked him up.

"Good morning Matthew. How are you this morning? Good I hope." Vada rubbed his head. She walked down the stairs to see Nick sitting in the kitchen eating some cereal. Vada put Matthew in his high chair and got him some food. After she did that she sat down and ate breakfast herself. Nick kept looking between Vada and Matthew and smiled. Vada finally looked at him and laughed.

"What?" Vada asked.

"I just keep thinking that in about five or six years we could have an infant Matthew's age." Nick said. Vada almost choked on her breakfast.

"Nick, he's two. That would mean three years from now. We're only sixteen. That would mean we would have to get married at eighteen to have a child his age by then." Vada stated.

"Well, what's wrong with that? I mean if we love each other and we plan to get married anyway. Why not let it be as soon as possible?" Nick questioned. Vada nodded.

"Nick, we need to talk. I want to go to school. I want to be something in this world." Vada explained. Nick looked shocked.

"Don't you think I love you?" He asked.

"I know you do. But I want to go to school. Shelly and Dad say that I can go to school and make really good grades. My mother was an actress. I want to do something in this world like she did." Vada replied.

"Oh." Nick looked down at the table and then reached his hand across the table and put his hand on Vada's elbow. "I know you miss your mom Vada. And I think that wanting to do something like she did is a good thing. If you want to wait, that's what we'll do. As you said, we're only sixteen years old. We have some time before we can get married anyway." Nick smiled. Vada put down her spoon and looked at him.

"Where would you want to live?" Vada asked.

"L.A. of course. My mom and Phil are there." Nick replied. Vada looked down at the table, but then back up at Nick. "What's wrong Vada? Don't you want to live out in California with mom and your uncle?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Vada paused. She dabbed her eye with her napkin and put it down on the table. "But my dad, Shelly and Matthew are here in Pennsylvania." She sighed and then laughed a little. "We can't live in two places at once that's crazy. But I don't want my dad or your mom to feel as if we don't want to live near them." Nick rubbed Vada's arm.

"Vada, we aren't getting married tomorrow. We have plenty of time to decide where we'll live. Maybe by the time you get out of college we won't want to live in L.A. or here in Pennsylvania. That's something we'll talk about later. Right now, let's just deal with the fact that we're two high school kids who have promised to get engaged and married later in our lives." Nick said. Vada sighed and smiled. She looked at him.

"How are you so calm?" Vada asked.

"I've had more time to think about it, remember? You just found out. I've been planning this since you left to come home two summers ago. I loved you then Vada Sultenfuss and I love you today." Nick walked around the table and kissed her.

"Have you told your mom yet?" Vada asked after they kissed. Nick pulled away and looked at the ground. Vada laughed. "Nick, we have to tell her some time. She's going to figure it out when we bring home grandchildren at Christmas." Nick looked up at her.

"I just don't think right now is a good time to tell them. I don't want to get your dad all worked up and everything. I know he and Phil are brothers; they probably tell each other a lot." Nick replied. Vada laughed.

"They're brothers Nick; not girlfriends. Dad hasn't talked to Uncle Phil since I went to see you guys. Mainly because I came back with my ears pierced." Vada smiled. She took Nick's hand in hers. "Besides, I'd like to tell somebody and I think your mom and Uncle Phil will take it better than dad and Shelly."

"Even though it's just a promise? We aren't engaged yet?" Nick asked. Vada nodded.

"Dad freaks out over any little thing that makes me a little less of his little girl. This is definitely a step in that direction and I don't want him coming home from their getaway trip any sooner than they need to." Nick nodded.

"I understand that. Do you wanna be the one to call or do you want me to?" Nick questioned.

"It's your mom. You call her. But I can talk to her after you do." Vada replied. Nick looked at her with a bewildered look.

"I don't know about this Vada."

"How much do you love me?" Vada wondered.

"I love you with everything in my heart, mind and soul." Nick responded.

"If that's true, why can't you call up your mom and tell her?" Vada pointed out.

"Good point." Nick picked up the phone and sat on the chair in the hallway. Vada leaned against the chair and listened to his breathing. Nick dialed the phone. After three rings Rose answered the phone.

"Hey mom." Nick said.

"Well hi Nicholas? Is that you? Where are you calling from?" Rose asked.

"I'm still at Vada's house. I was calling because Vada and I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? What's wrong? Has something happened? Do Phil and I need to come get you? We can leave on the next plane and get you back home. You better not have done something to hurt Vada." Nick can tell by the way Rose's voice dimmed that she wasn't speaking directly into the phone anymore. "Nick did something to Vada! I told you he shouldn't have gone out there! He's a regular sixteen year old boy."

"Mom! I didn't do anything to Vada." Nick rebutted. Rose paused.

"Well then what's going on?" Nick looked at Vada, squeezed her hand and smiled.

"I gave Vada a promise ring. I asked her to become my fiancé and eventually my wife when we get out of school. I know I have a lot of growing up to do, but I know I can do it and I want Vada there with me during that time." Rose paused and sighed.

"Nicholas, I don't know what's going on with you. Did you say a promise ring? You know that her father is going to have a major fit about this, or did you even think about anybody but yourself when you went out there? Where did you even get the money? What is a promise ring anyway?" Rose shot off a lot of questions.

"Mom, I know that it's a lot to take in at one time. But we wanted you and Phil to be the first to know. Vada and I love you, Phil, her parents; but we also love each other and we want to be married when she graduates from college. We've been talking for a while about what we're going to do." Nick said. Rose was quiet and never came back on the phone. "I guess that's all for right now mom if you insist on not talking back to me about it." Nick politely hung up the phone. "I told you it wouldn't be easy." Vada smiled.

"I know it wasn't. But you have to admit it was the right thing to do. They deserve to know Nick. I'm glad we told them." Vada hugged him.


	6. Unexpected Visitors

**A/N: This is probably the quickest I have ever added a chapter to a story; but don't expect too much of it. =D I'm still a busy school oriented college kid. But I do plan on updating more often. Based on my FF notes, this story only has about three chapters left after this one; unless you readers just fall in love with it and want me to write another chapter, which I can do. I just need reviews for that. =)**

Vada was sitting on the stairs a few hours later when there was somebody knocking on the front door and the doorbell was insensately ringing.

_"What is going on? Who could that be?"_ Vada thought to herself. "Hello?" She called out. Vada stood up and walked over to the door. She looked through the window and saw her Uncle Phil standing there with an angry Aunt Rose.

"Vada, open the door." Uncle Phil said calmly. Vada took in a deep breath and put her hand on the locked doorknob. She knew that Nick was just upstairs with Matthew and she didn't want something bad to happen. Vada unlocked the door and opened it. Rose barged in and Phil stood next to Vada. He was cool and calm, where Rose looked like a bottle of ketchup.

"Where is he?" Rose demanded looking at Vada. "I know he's here! I can't believe he would put you in this kind of a situation Vada! I'm just so mad at him!" Phil walked over and tried to calm her down.

"Rose, remember what we talked about on the plane? We weren't going to get upset? We were going to talk to Nick and Vada like adults?" Phil asked. Rose glared up at him.

"Don't patronize me." Vada cleared her throat.

"He- he's upstairs Aunt Rose." Vada stated. Rose looked at her and smiled slightly.

"Thank you Vada." Rose said. "NICHOLAS!" A few minutes later, Nick came flying down the stairs.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" Nick asked.

"I can't believe that you didn't talk to me about this before you left. I wouldn't have let you come if I would have known." Rose exclaimed. Nick looked down at the floor and put his hands in his pockets.

"I know. That's why I didn't tell you." Nick mumbled.

"Why didn't you say something Nick? I could have helped you." Phil said patiently.

"Look, it's only a promise ring. We aren't even engaged yet. We just said that we would get engaged when we graduated high school." Nick said in a half yell.

"Young man, you should have talked to somebody before you just up and decide to fly across the country to ask a girl you met one time to marry you." Rose exploded. Nick looked at the floor and didn't say anything.

"If I may say something-" Phil started to say and then paused. Rose looked up at him.

"Go ahead and say it. I know you probably don't agree with me. Let's hear it." Rose said angrily.

"Rose, I agree that these kids shouldn't be getting married. They are only sixteen. Yet, they aren't getting engaged. I think we should sit down and talk about it before anybody goes haywire." Phil said.

"I think that's a good idea Uncle Phil." Vada replied with a nod.

"Thank you Vada." Phil responded. They walked into the family room and sat down. "Okay Nick. What are you kids thinking about? This is crazy. I never thought of you as the kind of person to run off and do something like this."

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you thought you did Phil." Nick said.

"Look, we flew all the way out here, we are going to sit and talk about this. You kids can't get married anyway. Not without her parents' permission and ours." Phil stated.

"We don't want to get married yet. We just want to say that we'll get married in the future. Vada and I weren't planning on running off and getting married. I know that I can't take care of her right now. She wants to go to college and be somebody instead of just a wife and mother. She wants to have a career like her mom did." Phil smiled at her.

"Your mom was a wonderful person Vada. You are so much like her." Phil stated. Vada smiled. Rose was finally calming down.

"So you guys really aren't considering jumping the boat and getting married tonight?" Rose asked.

"No mom." Nick looked up at Vada. "I told you that telling them was going to be a bad idea." Vada nodded.

"You did. I just didn't realize that it'd be this bad. Now I am glad that we didn't tell my dad because it would be so much worse."

"Wait, so you didn't tell your dad?" Rose asked looking at Vada suspiciously.

"No, of course not." Vada replied. Rose sighed.

"Oh! That's another thing that makes me feel better then. Well, then. I guess it's all settled for now. Vada, can you show me where I can put my bags? We got a one way ticket and I'd like to see some of this beautiful state you live in before I leave. It's so quiet here. Much better than L.A. I may have to move here." Rose smiled.

"Sure." Vada stood up and she and Rose walked towards the stairs. Phil looked at Nick.

"What would you have done if we wouldn't have shown up Nick?" Phil asked. Nick shrugged.

"Same thing I guess. I would have come home in a few days and I would have waited until I graduated to ask Vada's dad for her hand in marriage. Then we would have gotten married once she got out of college." Nick said.

"I'm glad to hear it. We'll all be staying here until Shelly and Harry get back." Phil said. Nick swallowed hard.

"We will? Why?"

"To tell them the good news of course." Phil put his hand on Nick's back and patted it twice before walking out of the room.


	7. Informing Harry

**A/N: Well it's been almost two months. I think I've left you in suspense long enough. =) Chapter Seven! **

A little while later, Phil was upstairs in Harry and Shelly's bedroom. He had the phone in hand when he sat on the bed. He dialed and waited for somebody to answer. After three rings, Shelly answered the phone.

"Vada? Is everything alright?" Shelly asked.

"It's not Vada, Shelly. It's Phil." Phil stated.

"What's going on Phil? Harry is in the shower right now. We were about to head to dinner." Shelly said.

"Rose and I are here with Vada, Nick and Matthew. Apparently Nick has come to Pennsylvania to ask Vada to marry him."

"What? They are sixteen!" Shelly exclaimed.

"I know Shel. Rose and I have it under control. We just wanted to let you guys know." Phil said.

"Who's on the phone?" Phil heard Harry ask. He cringed. Harry tended to blow a lot out of proportion.

"It's Phil, Harry. Now don't overreact. Vada and Nick have been talking a lot lately. He went over to the house a while ago."

"What?" Harry hollered.

"Now Harry, calm down."

"Calm down? My daughter is out there cavorting with some Californian guy and you are telling me to calm down? Believe me this is calm compared to when I get ahold of Vada!" Shelly sighed. "Give me the phone." Phil heard Harry grab the phone. "Why didn't you stop her?" Harry asked angrily. Phil took a breath.

"Harry, I didn't realize that Vada and Nick were going to be together until they called us. We have it handled. It's fine." Phil stated.

"I'm sure you have, but we're still coming home immediately." Harry exclaimed. He hung up abruptly. Phil put down the phone. Harry had been Phil's brother for years, why was he surprised that Harry was acting this way now?


	8. The Return

**A/N: Well obviously I didn't make it to my Valentine's deadline; but this story is going to be finished today. I hope you enjoy the last two chapters with no disappointment. =) **

A few days later, Nick, Vada, Rose, Phil and Matthew were eating lunch when Harry and Shelly rush in. Harry went over and grabbed Nick by the collar.

"Leave my daughter alone!" Harry exclaimed.

"Dad," Vada stood up. "What is with you?" Vada asked. Shelly touched her shoulders, bus she wrenched away. Then rushed out of the room.

"Vada." Shelly called out, and didn't get a reply.

"Harry, don't worry about Nick. He's going home with us." Rose stated glaring at Nick. Nick stood up and walked away from the table.

"It was only a promise ring! We aren't getting married tomorrow or anything." Nick walked towards the door. "I knew Vada shouldn't have called. She wanted to do this right and talk to all of you. I told her we should wait. She didn't believe me." Nick walked out of the kitchen. He walked into the other room and saw Vada sitting on the stairs. He went over to her.

"I'm sorry Nick. I didn't mean for all of this to blow up. I'm sure it'll blow over soon." Vada put her face in her hands. Nick sat next to her.

"It's not your fault Vada. If they can't accept us, it's not our fault. We aren't getting married right now." He took her hand. "That's a promise ring not an engagement ring or a wedding ring. We promised we would get engaged at a later time after high school." Nick kissed her. "I love you Vada Sultenfuss. I have for two years. I always will. Ever since you left L.A; I realized I couldn't live my life without you." Vada laughed.

"Nick, we were fourteen years old." Vada replied.

"I know, and I said I'd do anything to be with you." Nick said and kissed her again.


	9. Forever Promise

Shelly, Harry, Rose and Phil walked into the front room.

"Come on Nicholas, we are going home." Rose said. Nick stood up.

"Mom, what do you mean we're going home?" Nick asked.

"You, Phil and I are leaving to head home now." Rose grabbed him by the ear.

"OW!" Nick hollered. "Mom."

"Don't "mom" me Nicholas. We are going home. End of story." Rose said. Phil gave Nick a look that said,

_ "Don't argue with your mom. You won't win."_ Harry looked at Vada.

"You…" Harry started to say. "Go to your room. We will have a talk later. Vada stood up, but didn't walk up the stairs. She stood frozen on the steps. "Now Vada!" Harry barked. He used a tone Vada never usually messed with. Today wasn't an exception. Vada went up to her bedroom. Harry glared at Nick. "You." Harry paused. "I never want you to go anywhere near my daughter again."

"That will never happen. I really love your daughter." Nick said.

"Oh yeah. I'm not sure you even know what that truly means. You are sixteen years old." Harry replied.

"Come on Nicholas. We have a plane to catch." Rose stated as they walked out.

[

Vada was standing at the window when she saw Nick, Phil and Rose walk out of the house. As Vada looked out the window she heard footsteps outside her door. The door was swooshed open to show an angry Harry and a worried Shelly.

"What were you thinking Vada? Are you crazy? I trusted you to watch your little brother and this is how you repay me?" Harry asked. Shelly walked over and wrapped her arms around Vada's shoulders.

"Harry, she's in love. Leave her alone. Yes, maybe it wasn't the smartest idea; but nothing bad happened." Shelly responded.

"Stay out of this Shelly. This is between me and my daughter." Harry said sternly. Shelly looked at him with surprise. She backed down and walked over to the door and then out of the room.

"Dad, I." Vada started to say. Harry raised his arm.

"Stop. I don't want to hear anything. How could you do this? Vada Sultenfuss, I trusted you! How could you be so irresponsible? You are never to see him again! I forbid it! I mean it Vada!" Harry screamed. Vada fell on the bed and didn't say anything. She was holding back her emotions. They wouldn't help her now. Not with her father's anger the way it was.

"I can't even talk to you right now, I'm so upset. We will talk about this later Vada." Harry said and with that he stormed out of the bedroom. Tears started flowing out of the corner of Vada's eyes. Then she looked down to see the promise ring still on her hand. Vada realized even if her father kicked Nick out of the house, he could never take away her promise. That she would keep close to her heart. Always.


	10. Nick's Return

**A/N: Well, we have all been waiting, wondering what would be in store for Nick and Vada (myself included); so it's time to unveil the final chapter and end this chapter in these teenagers lives and wait for the next chapter to begin (metaphorically speaking)**

After several days of sulking and crying Vada finally came out of her bedroom. She was sixteen and knew it wasn't healthy to not eat, but she was just too worked up to eat. Shelly has come to see her a few times, but Vada refused to listen to her.

"Why should I do anything for dad after he threw Nick out?" Vada asked. Shelly sighed and shrugged her arms.

"Vada, he was only doing what he thought was best. Granted it wasn't; but he thought it was." Shelly said and paused. "None of us were sure what to do, sweetheart. We were on our cruise when we get a distressed call from your Uncle Phil that said you're engaged. We were in unchartered territory here." Vada sighed loudly and held up her ring.

"This is a PROMISE ring. Not an engagement ring. Sheesh." Vada exclaimed. "We're sixteen. Do you honestly think I'd get married at sixteen?"

"Not me, but your father worries." Shelly stated.

"I don't know if and when I'll ever hear from Nick again. He probably won't even want to see me again." Vada said. Shelly walked over and sat behind her on the bed. She hugged her step daughter closely.

"Vada, you are a beautiful and wonderful young lady. Nothing will ever change that. What Nick saw before he will still see. You aren't going to change just because of your father. Come on, maybe some time we can talk to him." The doorbell rang getting Shelly and Vada's attention.

"Who is that?" Vada asked.

"I don't know. Probably somebody for your father. In his line of work he sees a lot of people." Shelly stated. Then, there was a knock on Vada's door. Harry was standing there.

"Shelly, can you come here please?" He asked. Shelly stood up and walks out of the room without another word. Harry looked at Vada.

"Are you still not speaking to me?" He questioned. Vada looked down at the bed without answering him. "You're acting like a child Vada. I expected more from you. You're the one who was telling me how mature and grown up you were." Harry started to walk away. The anger started to bottle up inside of Vada and her blood boiled but she didn't say a word.

[

When Shelly got downstairs, she saw Nick sitting in the parlor.

"Nick! What are you doing here?" Shelly asked. He stood up.

"I'm here to speak to you about Vada. We had a misunderstanding that I should have corrected but didn't." By this time, Harry was standing next to Shelly and Vada was standing on the staircase out of sight. "Mr. Sultenfuss, I'm here to do something I should have a long time ago." Nick sighed. "I may only be sixteen but I love Vada, very much so. I don't want to marry her right now like you all, my mom and Phil thought. I still have several years in school and I want Vada to go to college. I just wanted to tell her how I feel now so she didn't find somebody else." Nick said.

"So you aren't trying to rush marriage?" Harry questioned and Nick snorted.

"Of course not!" Nick exclaimed. "Now I should be going. I just wanted to clear the air."

"You came all this way just for that? Don't you want to see Vada or something before you go?" Shelly asked, not realizing that she was on the stairs. Nick looked straight at Vada.

"She knows how I feel about her. We're both glad the air has been cleared." Nick replied. Vada smiled at him as he walked towards the door and she knew that now everything she wanted was going to happen. Nick had come back for her. He loved her enough to come on the way back to Pennsylvania for her and it felt good. Now she knew why she loved him and just how much he loved her. It was an amazing feeling she knew would never go away. She smiled all the way back up to her bedroom. She shut the door behind her. Vada leaned up against it and sighed joyfully. She never ever wanted to lose this feeling again.

**The End**

_**For Real This Time**_


End file.
